St. Francis Medical Center opens unique community-based health program for seniors

Altitude Edge Consultants
St. Francis Medical Center has opened an innovative new health program for elderly seniors living in the community called LIFE St. Francis. LIFE, which stands for Living Independently for Elders, is New Jersey’s first Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). After an intensive review, the program application was approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month and the program opened shortly thereafter.
As a PACE provider, LIFE St. Francis opened a LIFE Health Center at 1435 Liberty Street in Hamilton. Elders who enroll in this program will receive a wide range of health, social and transportation services, both at the LIFE Health Center and at home. These health and social services are delivered through a team of professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, nutritionists, physical and occupational therapists, and others such as activities staff, van drivers, and social workers who are available 24 hours a day. The LIFE Health Center will also be a hub for program participants to socialize and participate in daily activities.
To be eligible for LIFE St. Francis, participants must be 55 or older, be certified by the state as nursing home eligible, and can live safely in the community. In addition, participants must reside in the service area, which includes all of Mercer County and portions of Burlington County. Once enrolled, all services are covered through Medicare or Medicaid so participants have no out-of-pocket expenses for services included on the person’s care plan.
LIFE St. Francis will provide a wide range of services tailored to meet the health and social needs of the elderly participant. For example, services such as primary and specialty care, nursing care at the LIFE Center or in the home, medical equipment and supplies, prescription drugs, dental,  vision, foot and hearing care, lab work, and even hospital stays, if needed, are included.
Today, there are about 60 PACE programs nationwide. While this is the first such program in New Jersey, several other applications are pending for Catholic Health East health providers, of which LIFE St. Francis is affiliated. Because the application process is lengthy and technical, LIFE St. Francis was assisted by Altitude Edge Consultants, a leading PACE technical assistance firm. Altitude Edge has assisted health care organizations nationwide to open PACE programs effectively. “The future of health care is evolving, and this program is another avenue for St. Francis Medical Center to support its community and its elders,” said David Reyes, co-founder of Altitude Edge Consultants. “LIFE St. Francis will help elders to live safely at home, with friends and family, as long as possible.”
As states struggle with growing medical costs, especially for seniors and children, programs like LIFE St. Francis provide an alternative that is comprehensive, healthy, and cost-effective.
LIFE St. Francis is a service of St. Francis Medical Center, one of the area’s most respected health care providers since 1874.
About Altitude Edge Consultants (www.altitudeedge.com)
Altitude Edge Consultants is a unique firm that approaches the future of health care by combining solid strategic analysis and traditional tactics with ideas that help organizations’ reach their peak performance. Altitude Edge helps forward-thinking organizations that support seniors with housing or health care services, including PACE, adult day health centers, retirement communities, assisted or independent living operators, transportation providers and others.